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Cleared to run, Pettitte will throw simulated game

Cleared to run, Pettitte will throw simulated game

BOSTON -- Andy Pettitte has been cleared to resume running, and the left-hander is looking forward to taking his next step forward with a simulated game on Wednesday at Fenway Park.

Pettitte is expected to throw about 60 pitches as he attempts to come back from a fractured left ankle, and he believes that if it goes well, the Yankees could have him make his next appearance in a big league game.

"I think there's a chance," Pettitte said. "It's just a matter of what they want to do. As far as I'm concerned, I feel like I would be ready. I want to. I want to go ahead and just pitch, try to help. Obviously it's not up to me. It's up to them to make that decision."

If Pettitte makes it through his 60 pitches healthy, the next jump would be to the area of 75 to 80 pitches. Pettitte said he did some light running at Yankee Stadium on Monday and performed pitchers' fielding practice.

"I knew they were never going to let me pitch unless I was able to start covering first base and moving around the field," Pettitte said.

Manager Joe Girardi said that the Yankees would have to talk about Pettitte's next step after the 60-pitch outing, but he didn't rule out the idea of getting Pettitte into a big league game.

"I think it depends on how he feels, how his leg feels after going 60 pitches; if we feel he's ready to compete in a game, if we feel he can move around enough to compete in a game," Girardi said. "But it's conceivable."